


Escaping Plainness

by LilyDayz



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Identity Issues, New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, Weird Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:47:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28806792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilyDayz/pseuds/LilyDayz
Summary: Tsumugi Shirogane is plain had it withbeing plain, or for being herself for that matter. Noticing Monokuma's new motive, she formulates a brilliant (citation needed) plan. But can she handle any of the consequences her plan may have?HUGE V3 SPOILERS AHEAD.
Kudos: 6





	Escaping Plainness

Tsumugi groaned soon after realizing she woke up. Yet another day of the killing game. One where she's too much of a plain jane to stick out at all. She laid in bed, not wanting to get up and face the long day ahead of her. She tried not to have much of a script during the day, but she knew the whole "the class can revive one student" motive subplot had to move today somehow. 

Then the gears started turning.

The cafeteria was hectic as always, with Kokichi stirring up everyone with his ominous lies and grating attitude. Most other students tried talking about what they should do with the motive, or if they should even believe said motive would work. Kaito on the other hand, was shuddering in the corner, wishing he never had to hear about ghosts or the dead ever again. It felt like *something* was missing, but no one could tell you what.

In the chaos, Monokuma sliiid right in as he always did, suddenly without anyone asking him to.

"So, I hear there are skeptics among you! That the dead are truly dead, and you can't bring them back! I would like to personally tear your tinfoil hats off your heads with... a FREEEE demo!" Monokuma walked over to the cafeteria exit, bowing as someone unexpected walked inside.

It was... Kaede Akamatsu???

"Um... hi everyone. I've missed you all."  
Shuichi's heart stopped, Kaito was unconscious on the floor, and everyone else was too dazed to speak.  
"This-This can't be real, can it??? I desperately want to believe, but it's just too good to be true..." Shuichi thought to himself, in shambles.

"See, now isn't it so refreshing to meet someone you thought you lost? Well, she will be lost! Forever! Unless someone commits a murder!... And don't be sly and try to kill Kaede, it won't work."  
Kaede gulped. Won't work? Surely, he's bluffing.

Suddenly she felt the crushing strength of Gonta's hugs. "Gonta miss you so much! It not gentleman to cry, but this is just too much..."

"Er, it's fine to cry, Gonta. Just don't hug so tight please." She replied, feeling lightheaded from how tightly he embraced her.

Shuichi scrambled together the nerves to run up to Kaede and embraced her.  
"It's too hard to believe. But I can't help but cling onto this hope, this one hope, that you really are with us again. Can we just... be alone together for a little bit?"  
Kaede sighed, an air of guilt in her voice. "Shuichi... I want to, but I've only been conscious for a few minutes. Can I just... get a few minutes alone outside?"

"S-Sure, Kaede. I understand. Take a breather." Shuichi was still hesitant to believe this miracle, but it was too good to not at least try to believe.

She stood outside, at the back of the school. Was this charade... worth it? She knew that no one noticed Tsumugi's absence during breakfast, and everyone believed her cospox story. Getting caught wasn't a concern. But parading around as Kaede to get people's attention, to be popular, to be loved, was it worth living a lie? Granted, she supposed EVERYONE was living a lie to an extent.

"Your disrespect for the dead irks me to my very core."

Turning to see who was there, Tsumugi was shocked to see Korekiyo.  
"Wh-What are you talking about, Korekiyo? I'm-"

"You are not but a lowly cosplayer appropriating the soul of the deceased Kaede, for that much is certain."

Drat.Busted.

"Look, we all have things to hide, don't we? Do I need to mention your lipstick situation?"

"Do not speak in her tongue ever again, or I will ensure your soul meets hers in the afterlife."

"W-Wow Christ." Tsumugi said, finally dropping the Kaede voice.

"So, your cospox story was an utter lie, it seems. Do you have valid reasoning, or is this just another one of your "things to hide?" Korekiyo scoffed in disgust.

"I-I, uh..." Tsumugi whimpered, the cosplay unwinding more and more by the second.  
"I'm sorry. It's just... After being so plain and forgettable, I wanted to throw it all away, even if just for a bit, to try and be someone better than plain 'ol Tsumugi Shirogane. A bastion of hope, or at the very least a likeable person."

She could feel Korekiyo's scorching distaste lessen somewhat, stirring into more of a disappointed interest.  
"...I see. That is the struggle you face. A need to evolve into a supposed better self, one free of your current perceived issues? A self you deem to be perfect? How fascinating."

"F-Fascinating? An identity crisis isn't fun, Kiyo."

Korekiyo cackled. "Kekekeke. An expected response from one whose life thrives on the imitations of others. I understand your plight, albeit your proposed solution is simply ghastly. Take this to heart: More people care about you than you may think. You have many friends in this school who cherish you. I am not one of them, but your current self clearly has its admirers, even if they are not outspoken."

Tsumugi looked down at herself. She didn't like what Korekiyo was saying, especially his tone, but he wasn't completely wrong either.

"...You're right Kiyo." Tsumugi muttered, throwing the wretched cosplay out into the wind that was somehow blowing. "Trying to throw myself away to try to be someone else-especially someone no longer with us- wasn't the right answer. I should just... be myself, I guess. I don't know who myself is, but it can't be THAT bad right?"

Tsumugi briskly walked back to her dorm room, ready to lie back down so early into the day, just so she could think about things. Korekiyo, now alone behind the school, thought to himself. "Since when am I one to help someone out like that?" Did the grave insult to the dead get to him? A familiar voice in his head eased his concerns, Korekiyo deciding to simply move on.

Shuichi sat down at a nearby bench, gasping. "I... I can't find her. Anywhere." He could feel tears starting to build up, until Monokuma slid into view once again.  
"Hiya! Is there a problem!"

Shuichi fought back against his tears, anger rising. "Is Kaede still here, or did you take her from us again?"

Monokuma scoffed, sweating. "Uh, haha yeah. I said it was a DEMO. Didn't tell you how long it'd last! Ya missed your chance! Unless of course-"  
"That's enough." Shuichi walked away, hiding the tears rolling down his face.

Tsumugi found herself, yet again, sitting on her bed. Thinking about her identity. What was she like? What would people describe her as? These questions wouldn't answer themselves, but her mind didn't want to begin trying to formulate an answer either. She decided to, despite her comfortable room, go outside and maybe find someone to spend time with. Who? No clue. Gonta wouldn't be any help with her identity issues, nor would Kokichi, and by god she wasn't going to be thirty feet near Korekiyo for a while.

It was a gorgeous-looking afternoon in their caged school, with bright blue skies and vibrant greenery all around. The mad, mad world Tsumugi was in somehow managed to fall silent; So silent in fact, she heard crying in the distance. A rather quiet bout of it, but crying, nonetheless. Tsumugi rushed, realizing who it was and the problem she caused that needed to be fixed. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw Shuichi sitting down on a nearby bench, clearly in despair, fighting back tears. And she couldn't really blame him. Her antics probably broke his heart again. He noticed Tsumugi approach, his voice shaking.

"What do you want?"

Despite her frayed nerves, she gathered the courage to sit down next to him.

"I... want to talk."

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of those brilliant, quick shower thoughts fic ideas I sometimes have. I don't think I executed it well though. Feedback is extremely appreciated!


End file.
